Seahawks wrap up mini-camp: “We’ve had just a fantastic off-season,” Carroll says

The Seahawks are done with mini-camp after a 90-minute workout today at the VMAC. The next time we see them together will be for the start of training camp in late July (the 25th or so, though not yet officially announced).

Today’s workout was a little less hectic than yesterday’s though there was one brief scuffle between safety Jeron Johnson and running back Christine Michael. Unclear what caused it (it was in the middle of the group) and it didn’t last long, with Percy Harvin playing peacemaker and pushing Johnson out of the way quickly.

Otherwise, it was a mostly upbeat workout, and coach Pete Carroll was happy with the way the team goes into summer break.

“We had a really good day today,” he said. “We’ve had just a fantastic off-season. We had such great attendance, such great focus. We’ve seen so many guys come back to us that were on our roster last year that didn’t participate that really gave us a boost along with the new guys (from the draft and free agent signees) and the way we worked, we got a lot done and we are really excited about that.”

No significant personnel news today in terms of injuries. Carroll said WR Bryan Walters, who hurt his shoulder in the play that helped ignite Wednesday’s fracas, should be healed in a couple of weeks.

Harvin, who sat out the end of Wednesday’s practice, was back today, and Carroll said he was merely rested on Wednesday to avoid working three straight days, something he has not done in the off-season.

Among players sitting out today were LBs Korey Toomer (hamstring) and Kevin Pierre-Louis (groin) and WR Kevin Norwood (foot), but Carroll said all are “fleshy” wounds and all will be back for camp.

In fact, Carroll said the hope is that every player on the 90-man roster can be ready for training camp.

“Everybody is projected to have a shot at it,” Carroll said. “So that is what we are counting on right now.”’

The two who are most at-risk of not making it for the start of camp are receiver Sidney Rice and linebacker/end Bruce Irvin. Each is coming off of surgery — Rice a knee surgery to repair an ACL from last October and Irvin a recent hip surgery.

Of Rice, Carroll said: “Sidney will be able to work really to much greater extent. I don’t know if he will be ready the first day of camp, but through camp he will find his way back. He’s in great shape now, he looks fantastic, he can run routes and all. We are just really taking our time with it.”

Of Irvin, Carroll said: “Bruce is going to be up against it a little bit. He’s had a fantastic recovery already and he is going to work his butt off to get back. But we are going to have to wait and see.”

One player who saw a lot of action today was WR Chris Matthews, a free agent signee from the CFL who has missed a lot of recent action with a shoulder injury. Carroll said the 6-5 receiver has looked good when he’s had his chances.

“He’s done a really good job,” Carroll said. “He is totally different than our other guys. Unfortunately he hurt his shoulder a little bit. Banged it and didn’t get all of the work. But he has shown really good stuff and styles as a big guy. Always appreciated big receivers and he has that stuff and I like the variety that he offers us and in camp will be a great competition. We would like to spread the varity of style guys if we can, so he will be in the mix of it.”

The players and coaches will head from today’s practice to a private ceremony tonight to receiver their Super Bowl rings — the public ceremony of the Super Bowl title will come prior to the opener against Green Bay when the banner is raised.

Of getting the rings tonight, Carroll said: “It’s really an honor. It really is an honor and we are all I think the honor in it comes from doing it together with all of these guys. We feel very fortunate and it’s just really cool to have done soneting like that together. We set out to take it as far as we can and we did.”

Here are a few other notes. ….

— Carroll said again that DT Jesse Williams has had a good camp, healthy now after the knee surgery of last season and in shape. “I really thought maybe Jesse was done. We didn’t know coming out of last season. He had a tremendous off-season. His rehab work was great. He worked every day and he’s ready to get in the middle of it, so to bring that guy back at full speed could be really a great addition. He’s one of those guys that comes to us like Jordan Hill and Benson Mayowa, those guys come back with the redshirt year behind them. They really add to the roster and the competitiveness of the whole thing.”

— Asked if there are spots where the team may be better than a year ago at this time, Carroll said: “I think the defensive line. depth wise, is really good. Really excited about that. I think with Korey Toomer coming back at us and really looking fit and ready to compete and Kevin Pierre-Louis coming out and showing some really cool stuff, too, that position is good. The receiving position is good. Anthony McCoy coming back to the tight end position helps us out. The running backs with Christine no longer being a rookie, we have improved there. I love the competition at receiver and the speed at receiver right now is a really exciting group for us. Going to be a great group to watch in camp. Tharold Simon has been a real good return to us and A.J. Jefferson has looked really good, too. … Hoping that in a lot of areas we have improved some and that will really help us if we can get that done.”

— Asked about the speed at receiver, Carroll said: “We have a really good track team right now. In the wrong loop for the Olympics and stuff but we have a good group. It is a really fast group and it’s really exciting to see the guys catch the ball well, too. That we can count on the opportunity. There is nothing like being fast and that kind of speed, so we are really excited about it.’’

— Rookie DL Cassius Marsh had another good day and Carroll said later he is already up to 262 pounds, having put on about 10 pounds, and that Marsh “looked like we would hope he would look” during the mini-camp.

— Carroll said Earl Thomas remains at the lead of the punt return competition but indicated that Harvin has also made a strong move. “It’s going to be a great competition,” he said. “Earl has been back there the most so he’s in the lead position right now. Percy really feels comfortable at this point and he’s looked great at it and we all know how explosive of a return person he can be. Richard (Sherman) can catch the ball really well. Doug (Baldwin) can catch the ball really well. So we’re situated with good guys. Bryan Walters is a really good catcher back there. So now we need to find out who has the best knack for it. The best feel for it.’’

— Carroll said he was happy with the intensity level of the past workouts. “The most important thing that we could have done in this off-season was to recapture our work ethic — that is the most important thing because we really have one and the competitiveness our guys bring every day and the focus that it calls for to do that is what is most crucial so that we can stay on track, and that was there.”

— Carroll said his big concern now is that the team stay in shape and out of trouble until training camp. “Just everybody stay safe and they are on their own now,” Carroll said. “They have worked so long together, we are encouraging our guys to work out together and get in groups and stuff and staying with their conditioning. Our guys have worked so hard that I can’t imagine they will lose their conditioning over this time. But we want them to at least maintain and improve if we can, kind of the unknown is what we are concerned about.”